Motion of the Sun and Earth: Using a Playground Model to Explore Rotation and Revolution

This is an activity about the rotation of the Earth and Sun, and the Earth's revolution around the Sun. In chalk, learners will draw the Sun-Earth system, complete with Earth's orbit, and then act out the rotation and revolution of a yearly cycle.

Listening to Light

In this activity, students learn that light carries information. Students also discover that infrared (IR) radiation is a form of light that in some cases behaves like visible light and in other cases behaves very differently.

Star Witness News: Hubble Celebrates a Stellar Anniversary

This science news story explains the impact of the Hubble Space Telescope over the past two decades. The article describes the telescope, its many servicing missions, the public’s favorite images, the top science findings, and the man for whom the telescope is named.

Getting a Feel for Rotation Curves

This activity is a kinesthetic exercise for students to experience rotation curves for themselves. The students are divided into two groups; one group will participate in the activity, while the other observes. The groups should switch for different parts of the activity.

Down to Earth: Paint by the Numbers

In this activity, students simulate how light collected from a space object converts into binary data and reconverts into an image of the object. A pencil and paper activity demonstrates how astronomical spacecraft and computers create images of objects in space.

To Eat or Burn: The Energy's the Same!

Students use a calorimeter made of common materials to demonstrate that energy can be measured and converted from one form to another. Hydrocarbons, such as paraffin, contain stored chemical energy; food contains stored chemical energy.

International Space Station LABS: Mathematics Activity 2 Orbits: Racing Time in Space

Learners will investigate the relationship between speed, distance, and orbits as they investigate how quickly the International Space Station (ISS) can travel to take a picture of an erupting volcano. This is mathematics activity 2 of 2 found in the ISS L.A.B.S. Educator Resource Guide.